The Lesson of Choice
by The-Black-Knight673
Summary: Ms. Cheerilee is has the greatest challenge before her, when it comes down to teaching. She isn't teaching another one of the Ponyville's school foals, but a giant but-like metal being that had crash landed in Equestria! The mare couldn't help but feel bad for him, especially about the fact that he has lost all memory of who, and what, he is. Now, his life is his choice. Or is it?
1. Chapter 1

" _ **Once again, I have posted a new story… And one I think you all will like." The Black Knight laughed a bit, shrugging his armored shoulders. "Something new, out of left field. Maybe this will give you a hint, as to what I may be doing, hmmmm? Also, to those who are wanting these Off Characters getting story." Stares intently at you. "You. All. Suck! Sticking all these ideas in my noggin, making me want to do this. One more thing?" He leans forward a bit more. "Use Transformers Prime for body types, especially for our Main Character. There is a reason as to why I choose it." Turns around, and snaps his fingers. "Have fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!" Silver Star leaps up, big smile on her face, before boopng you right in the nose! "**_ _Have fun, everypony!_ _ **"**_

 _ **Chapter One**_

Aboard one of the many Decepticon Scout Ships, an Autobot Operative found herself in quite the bind. He managed to render two of the five decepticons offline. The four she knew of were basic Decepticon Soldiers, and just as easily taken out… But what she didn't know, was that he fifth one turned out to be one big Insecticon! Now, the massive bot had its laws around her neck, clicking two sets of varying sized mandibles, in thought. The Autobot could feel his claws scratching off her blue paint.

"H-Hey, ugly! Watch the paint job!" She yelled, trying to break free of the Insecticon's hold, the massive transformer tilting his head. "What? Never seen a fembot before?"

The Insecticon snarled at her, opening his fang filled maw. "What is your name, Autobot?" He asked, slamming his right claw into the Autobot's chest. "So I may add it to my legacy."

The Autobot continued to struggle in the Insecticon's grip. "Just like an Insecticon… You all rather destroy things, instead of protecting life, just like your Decepticon Masters." She argued, glaring at the angled visor of the Insecticon's cyclops optic. "You lot have no spark. Wipe out everything on planets, for energon, even going so far as to _torture_ the organics there!"

"Enough, Autobot. Your sentiments fall on muted audioreceptors." The Insecticon snarled, the glaring red light of his visor making the Autobot's face light up. "Your _name_ , now!"

"No point in trying to reason with something that has no mind, no life, of its own." She grumbled, staring up at the Insecticon's face plate. "My name is Hornet, irony right? And it is not my name you should be asking about." Her smirk confused the Insecticon. "More like, what I did while aboard your ship… Besides take out two of your pals."

The ship suddenly rumbled and shook, nearly taking the Insecticon off of his stablizers. He kept Hornet in his grasp, looking around before one of the corridors exploded. "Breaker, this is Intercept! The ship is being torn apart!" A Decepticon came over his comm-link. "That Autobot scum planted explosives all over our ship!"

'Breaker' snarled at Hornet, his grip becoming tighter around her neck. "You planned to go down with our ship!?" He pulled his right arm back. "You weren't planning on coming back from this mission, were you?"

Hornet smirked at him, tilting her head a bit. "If it means preserving innocent life? Then I am willing to give up my own spark, just to protect it."

"Good to hear." Breaker threw his arm forward, ripping into Hornet's chest! The Autobot screamed in agony, feeling the Insecticon's claws rip deeper into her body, flailing her legs. Breaker gave a fanged grin, gripping Hornet's spark and suddenly ripped it clean from her chest. The energon, that once flowed within her body, sprayed on to his Breaker's black and gun-metal gray body.

The Insecticon wiped the blue life liquid from his face, exposing the crimson tribal markings he designed after the one once called 'Hardshell'. Though, the Autobot's words played back through his processor, about not having a mind or life of his own. He dropped her spark, eyeing the offline fembot There were many names of different Autobots that he slayed in the many solar cycles of service, Breaker held each one within his memory core, but _this_ bot has actually made him wonder?

An explosion brought the Insecticon back to his current situation. He looked to the right, seeing that the entire ship is starting to go. Releasing a defiant screech, Breaker quickly dropped Hornet and transformed into his Hercules Beetle form! The Insecticon's wings started buzzing, lifting his massive body from the ground, and prepared to flee from this section of the ship.

His optics suddenly spotted the sparkles Hornet, actually stopping him midair. Breaker was a warrior from his Hive, who somehow was able to break free from the Hive Mind and got away before Arachnid could have fed on his energon like the others. He prided himself on such ideals of being a strong warrior, a and researched a word that the Autobots and old Decepticons called 'Honor', making it to where he treated his battles with 'Honor'. Now, here before him, is an offline opponent that will end up taking down the whole ship, every Decepticon onboard with it. She was a warrior, far as he is concerned, and something told him: _Take her with you, bury this worthy warrior._

Breaker looked around, trying to figure out who said those words, but saw no one there with him. Sounds of explosions drawing closer rushed the Insecticon's decision to the point he hovered over the offline Hornet. Quickly, his legs picked her up and flew down towards the, still, intact corridor. His audio sensors were picking up the explosions were drawing closer to him, right on his tail. It didn't help when he had to make last minute turns, due to his current course blowing up, or being weighed down by an offline bot.

He started to fly faster, feeling the flames on his back. The Insecticon needed to reach the escape pods, but they were on a level higher than his current one, and there would be no time with how close he's cutting it. "I. Will. Not. Fall… HERE!" His wings started to buzz even faster, allowing him to give a mucher greater distance from the explosion.

To his surprise, an entire section of the corridor's ceiling collapsed! Breaker came to a sudden halt, noticing that it led up on to the next level, where his ship's escape pods would be. Not questioning it, and feeling like this was a gift from Primus, he quickly flew up into the hole!

During a barrel roll into the upper level, narrowly escaping the flames, Breaker B-Lined it straight to the escape pods. Strangely enough, the majority of the upper level remained untouched, so he managed to reach them without trouble and sat Hornet down on to the escape pod's floor. "Now, to get out of here-?"

The escape pod suddenly shook, sending Breaker into the wall and rammed his head into the wall. It activated and launched from the ship, but it was not quick enough and could escape the explosion. The escape pod could not stabilize itself. This caused the Insecticon to be sent all around the escape pod's inside haul, harshly ramming him into the metal walls. He was only stopped, when his barbed horn pierced the inside haul, causing a discharge to surge throughout his entire, metallic, body!

Breaker wailed in agony, as the discharge surged around him. When it stopped, he collapsed on to the ground, his body powering down. However, the result of his horn tearing through the escape pod caused its corresponding outside part to blow! The sudden, and unexpected, explosion threw the escape pod from its intended trajectory, and hurling it towards a nearby planet.

Entering the planet's atmosphere, it turned into a giant fire ball, soaring through the sky, and aimed itself for a large forest. The crash resulted in it dragging across the ground, promptly tearing in half. The occupants within its metal bell were thrown out and on to the ground, while the escape pod's front half flew forward and collided with a large rock. When it met a larger, more solid, object; the entire front portion of the shuttle exploded… Those it saved laying in its dirt trail, one offline while the other was unconscious and trying to repair what damage was done internally.

 **-Froggy Bottom Bog-**

"Are you sure about this, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Bell asked, looking around the normally dangerous swamp. "I mean, what are we here for, anyways?"

The pegasus filly stopped, and looked back at her unicorn friend. "Because I saw that grant metal thing fell down this way." Scootaloo answered, before continuing down the swampland trail. "There is no telling what it could have been! I mean, what if it was some strange asteroid, or maybe an alien space ship!"

"Yeah! Just imagine, Sweetie Belle. We could discover some new crystal, or prove there are aliens out there!" Applebloom added, their unicorn friend still not completely convinced. "Your sister could use it in her next fashion line."

Sweetie Belle thought about it for a moment, then slowly nodded her head. "I-I guess your girls are right." The three looked around the swamp, their short attention span missing bubbling within the murky water. "Rarity has been looking for new designs, just for her upcoming fashion show… Maybe this will help her with it."

"Girls?" A caring voice called out, making the three suddenly stop. They turned around, seeing a familiar magenta mare trotting over to them, she had saddlebags on her back. "What are you three doing here? Don't you know it is dangerous here for you?"

"Hello, Ms. Cheerilee!" The Crusaders chirped, smiling up at their favorite school teacher. "We were just searching for that thing, which crashed somewhere near here! From what we saw, it seemed to have scared everything off." Scootaloo answered, eyeing her. "What about you? If it is so dangerous, why are you here?"

"For a special breed of flowers, that I can only grow in a swamp environment." Cheerliee answered, looking around the swamp, going back to the fillies. "And yes, it scared off the _smaller_ creatures, but not a-?"

The sound of water breaking, drew their attention towards the murky water. Their gaze slowly went up, following four, scalely, heads into the air. When they roared, powerfully, the ponies all yelled. "Hydra!" Then, promptly, ran for it with the mare staying behind the Crusaders, as the monstrous creature gave chase after his new found prey.

"Come on girls, keep going! We have to get inside the forest!" Cheerilee instructed, trying to heard the three fillies towards the dense wood-line. The school teacher had been to Froggy Bottom Bog many times before, to plant those flowers and collect them, having to escape Hydra attacks with the same tactics. The only difference, this time, is the fact that she had three fillies with her. They were moving too slowly, and the Hydra is gaining on them quickly. " _This isn't going to work; I need to slow it down somehow._ " She thought, glancing back at the Hydra and then to the fillies.

There is only one option right now, and it is probably the riskiest thing Cheerilee has ever done. But, when it comes down to her precious students, there is nothing this mare would not do for them. So, Cheerilee slid to a halt and quickly faced the Hydra. The three fillies stopped, looking back at the magenta mare. "Ms. Cheerilee! What are ya doing!?" Applebloom yelled.

"Don't worry about me! You girls, get to the wood-line!" Cheerilee replied, glaring at the oncoming Hydra. "I will keep him busy, while you get to safety!" The fillies looked at one another, not sure if they should leave her behind, not like this. "Go!" They bounced up, startled by how stern she sounded just then, and rushed towards the forest, while Cheerilee stared the Hydra down. "Alright, mister… Come on, follow me!" With that, she dashed off towards the right.

The Hydra watched her run off, with one of its heads, while also watching the fillies with the others. It had to make a choice, of which ones it wanted to go after. The mare is a bigger prey, offering more meat, compared to the fillies running towards the wood-line, but they were also more of them and slower than the mare. The Hydra stepped towards where those fillies were going, but stopped when a rock struck one of its heads. The swamp living creature looked towards Cheerilee, who is currently tossing a second rock up and down in her hoof. She threw it, and struck the Hydra right into one of its eyes. That did it, and earned a four headed roar for such actions. The Hydra stomped after Cheerilee, who quickly turned back around and ran.

"That's right! Follow me, follow the mare!" She called out, hearing the Hydra's stomps right behind her. Though, when one of its heads narrowly missed, the mare's eyes widened. The creature is closing in on her, faster than the mare had thought it would. She started to serpentine around, dodging the four heads even suddenly changed directions. This caused the Hydra to trip over itself, before resuming its chase after the mare. "Need to get to the forest, need to-YIKES!"

The Hydra slammed one of its heads right in front of her. She quickly changed direction, but another head struck the ground right in front of her, making Cheerilee changing directions again. Head after head slammed in front of her, preventing the mare from running towards the forest. Without hesitation, Cheerilee attempted to back track, and attempt to flip the Hydra.

However, the Hydra's tail cut her off before she could actually get behind it, sending the mare flying through the air. "Ms. Cheerilee!" The Crusaders screamed, as Cheerilee crashed into the ground, sliding and tumbling violently, then came to a halt. The landing caused her body to be littered with terrible scrapes and bruises, her mane and coat ruined along with covered in swampy mud. "We have to do something!" Sweetie Belle yelled, looking to her friends.

"B-But what can we do against t-that monster?" Applebloom asked, watching the Hydra close in on the school teacher. "W-We have ta help Ms. Cheerilee!"

"If only we were older, bigger!" The moment Scootaloo mentioned the word 'bigger', two sets of red, glowing, eyes appeared towering above the three fillies. "Stronger! Then, we could easily kick his scalely butt!"

The two other Crusaders were ready to add their own thoughts on the matter, but heavy buzzing and wind roaring around them. Before they could look behind themselves, to see what it was, a _massive_ Hercules Beetle flew over their heads! It released a loud, screeching, wail and slammed right into the Hydra! Sending the swampland creature right back into the murky water. "W-What is that thing!?" Sweetie Belle asked, the Crusaders unable to take their eyes off of this strange creature, not even looking at how angry the rising Hydra looks after it just got sent flying back.

"A-Ah think _that_ is what crashed in the Everfree Forest yesterday!" Applebloom said, watching how the metal beetle landed above Cheerilee, standing over her unconscious body in a protective manner. "And ah think it's protectin' Ms. Cheerilee!" The beetle released another screeching-wail, challenging the Hydra!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

The Hydra did not know _what_ to make of this metal creature in front of it. Ever instinct told him that this thing was far too dangerous, but this was _his_ swamp, and nothing is going to change that. The Hydra stepped forward, and gave an accepting roar to the metal beetle's challenge. The two charged one another, and collided with a heavy thud, but the Hydra was sent quickly pushed back into the murky swamp water. Though, the beetle did not stop its attack, and went after his foe.

"Ms. Cheerilee!" The Crusaders yelled, as they ran over to the downed mare. Each of the fillies tried to wake her up in some way, nudging and shaking Cheerilee. "Come on, Ms. Cheerilee, you need to get up! We have to get out of here!" Scootaloo said, trying to shake the mare, all three fillies looked up when a metal foot braced in front of them. The metal beetle was having trouble holding the four headed Hydra back, and away from them.

It was obvious that it was trying to keep the swampland terror away from the Crusaders, and Ms. Cheerilee, making them double their efforts. "Come on, Ms. Cheerilee! Ya gotta get up!" Applebloom cried.

The mare groaned, as she weakly lifted her head up. Every point of her body hurt, and knew they Hydra must have hit her rather hard. "G-Girls? Where is the Hydra at?"

"Ms. Cheerilee, we need to get out of here! It can't hold the Hydra of for much longer!" Sweetie Belle shouted, the Crusaders trying to pull their teacher to safety.

"What? What are you talking about, Sweetie-?" Her words were cut off, when the four ponies saw their metal savior get thrown to the side, causing mud to fly everywhere! "R-Run!" The mare staggered to her hooves, having the fillies run in front of her again, but she was limping and the Hydra is right on top of them.

Cheerilee's eyes widened, looking back and seen the Hydra lashing its heads right for them. "I don't think so, you four headed freak!" A powerful voice roared, before the metal beetle battering rammed the Hydra and stepped over the four ponies. "Stay underneath me! You will be safe there!" The four nodded, as the metal beetle lowered down not to crush but enough so that the Hydra could not get to them.

The Hydra snarled, becoming irritated that this creature now covered his prey. It lunged forward trying to bite into its body, but bounced back after hitting the metal carapace. No matter how hard it tried, the Hydra just could not bite through it, and the beetle even put all of its legs underneath itself. Though, the constant clanking started to scare the fillies, who huddled up against Cheeriliee. The mare flinched each time the Hydra struck, looking up at the beetle's metal under belly. "Please! There has to be something you can do to stop it!"

The beetle snarled, moving its large head down a bit. "Cover their ears!" He ordered, Cheerilee nodded and had the fillies cover their ears. "Ready?"

"Ready!" She called out.

Red energy started to buzz from within the beetle's horn, the metal weapon making a strange gear cranking sound and shrank a bit to where there was a hole in its tip now. Sweetie Belle looked up, feeling the surge of energy build within his horn. "Eat this!" Red energy shot out of his horn!

It struck the Hydra right into its chest, causing it to roar in pain and sent backwards. When it got back up, the metal beetle shot at it three more times, getting back on to its feet and charged forward. The Hydra looked towards his foe, and snarled at him while getting back up. Though, the metal beetle was not having any of that, and actually hit the Hydra in all four heads with an energy blast! This caused the swamp dwelling creature to roll into the murky water, all four heads dazed.

After it was able to get all of its senses back together, the Hydra looked back at the foe… Only to become face to face with his razor fanged maw. "Leave, now, and don't ever come back agaaaaaaaaaaain!" He wail-screeched the last part, allowing his maw and mandibles to open wide.

The Hydra did not have to be told twice, and got his message _quickly_. Stumbling over itself, the Hydra ran away through the swamp's murky water. Seeing this, and how their protector turned out to be the victor, all four ponies began cheering and stomping their hooves… Though, Cheerilee just stuck to the cheering. The Crusaders ran up to the metal beetle, while he turned around and his horn returned to normal. "Thank ya, stranger! Ya saved our lives back there!" Applebloom smiled.

He tilted his massive head, as Scootaloo chirped in. "Yeah! That was so cool how you beat that Hydra! First you rammed him, then you covered us, then your horn transformed and you sent him packing!"

"But what is your name, and what _are_ you? You look kinda weird." Sweetie Belle asked, the other two fillies nodding at her question, and the beetle gave them a confused look.

"Girls!" Cheerilee shouted, limping over to them, as the fillies lowering their ears. "Don't be so rude, and stop confusing him." The more limped up to the metal beetle, smiling at him. "Though, I must hank you too, for saving us… Mister?"

To be honest?" The metal beetle leaned down closer to them. "I have no idea what my name is." He looked at the fillies. "Or _what_ I am." He chuckled a bit, before looking back at Cheerilee and tapped the side of his metal head. "It's all static and blank… I'm afraid, I do not remember a thing."

The ponies all gained a shocked look. "You don't remember anything, at all?" Cheerilee asked, the metal beetle shaking his massive had. "You poor thing."

"It is alright, but I better get back to my friend. I didn't want to leave her alone, but had to scout the area around where I woke up." The metal beetle started to walk away, but the ponies tried to keep pace with him.

"Do you mind if we travel with you? Until my body has healed up a bit." Cheerilee asked, limping next to the metal beetle with the fillies around her. "We're really close to the Everfree Forest, and it is very dangerous for us."

The metal beetle slowed his pace down for them, and gave the four a quick glance. "Alright, I believe you about how dangerous this place is for you… That four headed freak proved it to be true." He said, noticing how badly Cheerilee was limping, and opened his back up, lowering his wing down. "Climb on, it will be faster, and easier, for you four."

They looked at one another, before nodding. "Thank you so much… I do not know how in Equestria we are going to repay you." Cheerilee said, herding the three fillies on to his back, then on to the giant metal horn.

"It is not a problem, at all. You four weigh next to nothing on my back." He noted, picking his pace up quite a bit more, before a thought crossed his mind. "Say, I don't know my name, mind telling me yours?"

"I'm Applebloom!" The earth pony filly shouted.

"I'm Scootaloo!" The pegagsus filly shouted.

"I'm Sweetie Belle!" The unicorn filly shouted.

"And we're…" The three hugged one another. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders, yay!" They chirped.

Their enthusiasm made both the mare and the metal beetle laugh a bit. "And what about you? What is your name?" His eyes looked up to Cheerilee, who smiled down at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry for being so rude." She giggled a bit, and placing a hoof on to her chest. "I'm Cheerilee… Ponyville's school teacher."

"The best teacher, ever!" The Crusaders all chirped, making the two laugh again. "By what I can tell? You are quite the teacher." His eyes scanned around them, making sure nothing was there. "Being good at something is always a plus to everything… Now, if only I could remember what it is _I_ was good at." The metal beetle laughed at his own joke.

Though, his comment had an idea spark into the pegasus filly's mind. "Say, big guy, since you can't remember your name… How about we give you one? At least, until you finally remember?" Scootaloo asked, leaning over the side of his horn. "It will give us something to call you, instead of sir, big guy, buggy, or something."

He thought about it, for a few seconds, then slightly nodded. "Sure, why not? I do not see the harm in it… Not to mention, it'll be nice to have something I can identify with."

"Yay!" The three yelled, before going all over his giant body, tapping and inspecting. Some of the names were funny, along with strange; like 'Metal Beetle', 'Iron Wing', 'Big Horn', and even 'Flying-Metal-Red-Death-Beetle'. These names made both him and Cheerilee laughed, before the mare started tapping her chin. "Why not…" She looked over his metal body, then at his giant horn. A name popped into her mind, since he used it as a powerful weapon. "Ironhorn?"

The three stopped, and looked at each other, before smiled at Cheerilee. "Cool!" They chirped, making the mare giggling a bit, while Applebloom leaned over his horn. "What do ya think, big guy? Ironhorn fits ya!"

"Hm…" He mumbled, before nodding to the point that he bounced the three giggling fillies. "Ironhorn, huh? I like it, fits me." _Ironhorn_ chuckled, as the fillies cheered at the new name.

"So, Ironhorn, why couldn't you leave your friend alone, or very long?" Scootaloo asked, laying down on to the horn. "Is she sick, or something?"

"No, it just did not seem right." He answered, pushing through thick bush.

"How come? Is there something wrong with her?" Cheerilee asked, concern in her eyes.

"No…" Ironhorn moved the last bit of brush, and reveal the crash site. At the very center, was a bipedal giant, with a giant hole in the center of her chest. "Did not seem right, to leave the dead alone and unburied."

The all gasped at the sight, not believing what they saw. "W-What happened to her!?" Cheerilee asked, trying to keep the fillies from seeing the torn open chest.

"I don't know… When I woke up, I found her like that." Ironhorn lowered his head down, allowing the ponies to slide off of his horn. "Along with the wooden, four-legged- creatures clawing at her. Scared them off, the same way I did the four headed freak."

"Timberwolves! They are not easy to scare off...!" Scootaloo said, smiling up at their new friend. "You're so cool, Ironhorn!"

He grinned at her a bit, laughing. "It helps, when you can stomp on them." Ironhorn added a quickly stomp of his foot, for extra effect, and caused the fillies becoming even more awe-struck at the giant in front of them. "Anyways, I couldn't heave her by herself… Not until I find a good place to bury her."

Cheerilee smiled at Ironhorn's devotion to his friend, and nodding. "Do you know her name, Ironhorn? I don't see a name tag or anything." She asked, walking up to the fallen fembot. "Can't bury her without having a way to identify her."  
"I… Don't remember." Ironhorn admitted, trying to remember her name the best he possibly could. "Still nothing but static in my mind."

The ponies frowned, looking up at the giant beetle while he clasped a leg on to his head. Ironhorn grumbled, trying his best to remember her name. After a few seconds, a name started to play within his mind. At first, it couldn't be heard through the static, cutting in and out, but became more and more clear. " _Hor… My name… Net… My name is Hornet._ "

"Hornet…" He looked down at the others. "Her name is Hornet."


End file.
